Parliamentary committee for national security recommendations

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Mubarakbaad to all Pakistanis on another victory!!

**Pakistan agrees to restore NATO supplies
**
The civilian and military leadership has agreed in principle to revive normal relations with US-led forces in Afghanistan and restore Nato supplies through its land. Senior US officials in Washington also say they have been informed by Pakistani authorities that a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday agreed in principle to restore supplies for NATO forces. President Asif Ali Zardari presided over the meeting and was attended by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Air Chief Marshal Qamar Suleman and DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha. Senior coalition leaders including Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and MQM leader Farooq Sattar were also attending the meeting. The rare meeting of the country’s top civilian and military leadership as well as key allies was called just days ahead of the joint session of the parliament that will mark the new parliamentary year but will mainly focus on the debate on the future relationship with the US and NATO allies. Although the government spokesmen told the media that the meeting reiterated the government’s earlier stance that the parliament will take decision on the NATO supply and relationship with the US, the leaders agreed to restore land route for NATO and revive normal ties with the US. Senior US officials in Washington said they have been conveyed after the Islamabad meeting about the decisions. In return the U.S. will also allow the equipments delivery to Pakistan which had been blocked after Islamabad blocked NATO supply line in November. Pakistan blocked supplies for nearly 150,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan as protest against the air strikes by the American fighter jets and helicopters in Muhmand triabl region and killed 24 soldiers. Pakistan had also vacated the key Shamsi airbase from the US army and had boycotted the Bonn conference on Afghanistan as a protest. Pakistan had also refused to welcome top US military leaders and diplomats until parliamentary review is completed, which had also been delayed for some time. But the meeting also decided to receive the top US visitors whenever they want to visit Pakistan and they agreed with the proposed visit of the US Centcom chief General Mathis, who is likely to visit later this month.

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this was expected form this spineless leadership!

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We couldnt get any apology from the Americans on the Salala Checkpost attack, drone attacks are continuing and Rahman malik claims that the Americans are involved in deteriorating the situation in Balochistan. Is this a prize for all that?

The Centcom chief should be coming soon, maybe a salute to him.

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The meeting today comprised of the coalition leaders, COAS and ISI chief. It seems as if the decision has been made the official stamp would be through the parliament. And PPP and its allies already have the majority in lower/upper houses.

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seems like the Parliamentary Committee on National Security has finally reviewed US-PAK ties.
hence, more frequent drone attacks and nato supply routes are restored. keep it going.

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Jhapatna palatna, palat kar jhapatna.
Laho garam rakhne ka hai ik bahana

Iqbal's Shaeens back to strike. :(

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President Zardari holds high-level meeting

According to this news they are saying the parliament will decide on the matter, lets see if the decision has been made we will come to know about the details in a couple of weeks.

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/14/new-rules-of-engagement-approved-over-ties-with-us.html

**ISLAMABAD: The top military and political leadership of the country on Wednesday approved recommendations over new rules of engagement with the Nato and the US, DawnNews reported.
**
The recommendations will be tabled in the joint session of the parliament on March 17.

The high level meeting at the Presidency was attended by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and leaders of coalition partners of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) among others.

The military leadership briefed the meeting over Nato supply and vowed to fully implement the recommendations over national integrity and sovereignty after their approval by the parliament.

The military and the political leadership declared that the national interests will not be compromised at any cost.

It was also decided in the meeting that the parliament will hold the right to amend recommendations on the national integrity. The decision of reopening Nato supply line will only be taken by the parliament, decided in the meeting.

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What is parliament by the way? Chaudhry+Altaf+Wali led by Zardari? It's nothing but a united league of peoples party. And remember, fools seldom differ!

Someone has put it so right: A weak man's anger ends in embarrassment!

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the military and the national integrity/sovereignty part is funny in the dawn news though.

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[quote=“Ali_Syed, post:14, topic:256438”]

[

So, what is “national interests” in this case?](“Geo News: Latest News Breaking, Live Videos, World, Entertainment, Royal”)

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maybe $$$ :cool:

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kuch dollars, kuch purzey…aur kya??? :hmmm:

Taqdeer ke qazi ka ye fatwa hey azal sey
hey jurm-e-zaeefi ki saza marg-e-mafaajat***

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If Pakistan earns some money doing this, aap ko kya taklif hay. Agar Pakistan ne aor nakhray dikhaay to Russians are very happy to open their routes for NATO supply. phir tum kaho gay ke this was government failure.

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Read correctly as "If official goons earn some bonus doing this, app ko kya taklif hay."

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Since its foundation, Pakistan has remained a loyal ally to Uncle Sam except tenure of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. That is not a new phenomenon that you should be amused.

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It's perfectly fine if Pakistan earns something for providing its infrastructure, but not without US-NATO apology for Salala checkpost tragedy. You don't feel anything for those who got killed in Salala?

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NATO routes set to reopen – The Express Tribune

**ISLAMABAD: ****Pakistan appears to have given in to mounting Western pressure – finally.

**Islamabad is inching closer to unplugging the Nato supply routes that it had blocked in protest at the November 26, 2011 deadly Nato air raid on Pakistani border posts in Mohmand Agency.

On Wednesday, the country’s top civil and military leadership evolved a consensus on lifting the almost four-month-long blockade – but under ‘tough conditions’.

The supply routes for US-led foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan are expected to reopen later this month after Parliament approves new terms of engagements with the United States.
However, it is unclear what ‘tough conditions’ Pakistan is considering for unblocking the Nato supply routes.

A high-powered huddle at the Presidency decided to convene a much-awaited joint session of Parliament on March 17 to debate and approve new rules of engagements with the US.

The meeting was chaired by President Asif Zardari and attended by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence, the air force chief, the foreign secretary and leaders of the coalition partners.

An official told The Express Tribune that the meeting reviewed the recommendations finalised by an all-party, bicameral parliamentary panel.

It was the first time the country’s top civil and military leadership discussed the draft proposals, in a move that indicates that the government now wants to complete the parliamentary review at the earliest.

**The US has privately expressed its ‘frustration’ over the delay in the process, as alternative routes for Nato supplies are much costlier than the land routes of Pakistan.

**
**“There was a general consensus among the participants that we now have to reopen the Nato supply routes,” the official said, while requesting anonymity. “For once, we have conveyed our principled position to the US regarding our red lines and we believe that it is very well received in Washington,” the official added.
**

A statement issued from the Presidency, however, did not specifically mention whether the meeting discussed Pakistan-US ties. “The meeting was briefed about security and foreign policy-related issues,” it added.

Presidential spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar told The Express Tribune that the meeting was convened to brief the coalition parties on issues of national security and foreign policy.

He attempted to play down the hype on whether the high-level gathering had taken any decision on reopening the Nato routes. “It was a routine briefing arranged at the request of the coalition partners,” said Babar.

He maintained that the decision to reopen the supply routes would be taken by Parliament.

Another official said that the briefing was a part of government’s preparations to summon a joint session of Parliament.

Ahead of the session, the government would also take into confidence the opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, about its likely decision to reopen the Nato supply routes. “We have taken the coalition partners into confidence, and in the next phase we will brief the opposition parties,” the official disclosed.

The consultations are aimed at ensuring a smooth passage of the new terms of engagements with the US.

Meanwhile, key US officials are expected to travel to Pakistan as soon as Parliament completes the review this month.

Head of US military’s Central Command (Centcom) General James N Mattis and Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman will visit Islamabad to revive cooperation under the new terms of engagements.

In Washington, a defence department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that they have seen media reports about the reopening of Nato supply routes. “As far as we know no final decision has been made. Such a decision awaits a parliamentary review which so far has not happened.”

(Read: Reopening Nato supply routes)
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15[SUP]th[/SUP], 2012.

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The people who are advocating the opening of NATO borders from the Pakistani side to counter the opening of Northern Route (Russia) is concerned:

  1. The Northern Route is quite expensive for the Americans

  2. The supplies that will be passing through the North will not be used in the countries through which it will be passing, where as Pakistan allows the supplies to pass which ultimately is used against them

Even Russia has allowed only the passage of non lethal supplies through its areas, http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/15/russia-may-give-nato-a-base-for-afghan-supply-runs.html.

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Parliament to decide Nato supply fate: Gilani | Pakistan | DAWN.COM

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Official: Pakistan parliament to discuss re-engagement with US next week

ISLAMABAD – A government official says Pakistan’s parliament will begin a debate on the country’s new terms of re-engagement with the United States next week, including whether to lift its blockade on war supplies heading into Afghanistan.

Ties have been frozen since American air strikes accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at the Afghan border in November.

The government formed a committee to look into Pakistan’s relations with the United States after the incident.

A government official said Thursday the committee would present its findings to a parliamentary session next week, likely on Monday. He didn’t give his name because he was not authorized to release the information.

Pakistani officials have said the decision to reopen the supply lines will made during or after that session

Read more: Official: Pakistan Parliament To Discuss Re-engagement With US Next Week | Fox News